"We'll have to use powers. That's a big risk we're taking." Alex pointed out.

"It is, but we're without any other options. Don't forget, also, that the rest of the squad is likely down here too. Depending on where we're positioned, it's not like the entire floor will come for us at once." Lyra said, leading them back toward the cavern they had vacated only minutes ago.

"We can handle it. Just don't make me pull out the sling again." Tirus grumbled, taking up the rear. "I hate that thing."

They abandoned stealth as they walked back through the tunnel. No point to it, really. Even if they intended to launch a surprise attack, their quarry would be easily alerted by the draw of power necessary to facilitate it: taking on a couple isolated Mitovampyria without powers was one thing, but tackling an entire swarm without having previously drawn power would only put them at a marked disadvantage. Best to take them head-on rather than continuing to sneak about. Once they alerted the swarm, they'd have to be ready for plenty of combat.

Alex drew a tight, narrow band of power into his body while they walked. Not enough to alert the swarm to their approach, but every drop of energy that suffused him could only serve to help in the fight to come.

Approaching the final corner in the tunnel, they stopped.

"Ready?" Lyra asked, unslinging the spear from her back.

"As we'll ever be, I reckon." Tirus said, rolling his shoulders.

"Let's get moving." Alex said, positioning himself in-front and slightly to the side of Tirus, sword and shield raised.

As one, they opened their cores to maximum capacity. Power surged through Alex's body, gathering predominantly in his arms, where he imbued his weaponry with Air. For the swift-winged monsters, no other element would be as useful.

They stepped around the corner.

Flocking bats circled the cavern, releasing piercing shrieks at the sudden emergence of their energy. Attention quickly turned to their position. The closest monsters raised high into the air, wingbeats synchronizing in an unholy harmony with the shrill screaming, and Alex tightened his grip on the shield.

"Incoming." Lyra said, stepping forward with her spear extended.

Replicating their earlier feat in the cavern, they held the choke. More disadvantageous than last time, though, as now they were the ones trapped in the confines of the passageway. The first Mitovampyria charged Lyra's position.

Her dance was mesmerizing once again. Whoever had instructed her, they'd done a damn good job of it, because yet again not a single monster escaped her reach. The Bronze-ranked specimens attacked in numbers, a black-walled vanguard, but Lyra did not falter. Each swing of the spear amputated wings, disemboweled torsos, or severed limbs. Behind him, Tirus released a steady breath.

Four orbs of fire materialised in the air. Directing them to the cave mouth, they surrounded the opening. He commanded them to spin. Were they moving any faster, it would appear as a solid ring of fire, but such a feat appeared beyond Tirus. Nevertheless, the rotating orbs limited the avenues of attack for the creatures, singing oily hide with every passing moment. The smarter beasts avoided the flames, only to rush into the created pinhole occupied by Lyra. His team knew what they were doing.

"Silvers." Lyra breathed, swallowing down air as the next wave approached. "Be ready."

Alex stepped up. While these measures might impede the Bronzes, prior experience had taught him the Silvers possessed a wilier cunning. Indeed, it took only a few seconds for the first Silver to breach containment. His turn.

He stepped forward, sending a thrum of energy running through his shield. The influx of Air-aspected quintessence must have lit him like a beacon for the oncoming swarm, because a dozen bats turned their focus to him, including the Silver. Better to take it on without defending Tirus. It dove for him.

The attack pattern had become familiar. He blocked the initial pass with his shield, swinging for the creature's torso as it retreated. Another miss. He needed to simplify this. The more monsters that battered their way through the chokepoint, the quicker he'd need to take them down. Diverting power from his left arm to the right, he added an additional imbuement to his sword.

His trick with the stone from earlier had done wonders, and replicating it seemed wise.

As the bat divebombed once again, Alex didn't immediately block with his shield. Instead, he swung his sword, releasing a mild gust of air in the path of the attacking monster. It worked as he expected. Unfamiliar with the trick, the monster's graceful wings were buffeted by the wind, disrupting its flight just enough for Alex to raise his shield and block the extended fangs. Slashing blindly, he felt his blade pass through hide. One down.

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No time to rest.

The fight had lasted only thirty seconds, thus far, and already a pile of corpses lie before Lyra's feet. She was forced further back into the tunnel, unable to move freely among the accumulating obstacles. Alex and Tirus stepped back to match. The brief maneuver cost them, though. Three more Silvers broke through the chokepoint.

"All you, my friend." Tirus said, rooted to the spot. Those orbs must be taking a toll.

Alex grit his teeth. Three at once? He'd have to make it work. Repeating the earlier trick with his shield diverted their attention from Tirus, but consumed too much energy. Not many of those left in him.

Letting these fresh monsters dictate the terms of the engagement would see him bit. Taking a page from Lyra's book, he surged to meet them in their synchronized dives. He swung his sword to the right, disturbing the flight of one monster, and his shield blocked to the left. One remained, flying straight through the center toward him.

He wrenched his hands together in a clapping motion.

Miraculously, he caught the middle bat awkwardly with his sword and shield in hand. The monster's undulating muscles were disgusting when alive, both light, powerful and wriggling, but it couldn't escape his grasp. With a twist of his hands, Alex snapped the monster's struggling wings. Watching it fall to the ground, a simple downward plunge with the sword finished it off.

Two remaining.

A shout of pain came from Lyra, and he looked to her. Another Silver, not one of his, had sunk its fangs into her right leg. Fuck. Her movements looked like her defining advantage, and Alex prepared to change gears, but she shook her head. Her posture changed. Rather than flexible and quick, she became stalwart and rooted. A more traditional guarding stance. Earth energy?

"Tirus, something big!" she called, gritting her teeth through the pain.

"On it." Tirus said, dispersing his spinning orbs.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the offending bat begin the disgusting splitting process. Alex couldn't think on it for long. His two opponents had gathered themselves.

He needed to clean them up and help Lyra. Unfortunately, they didn't seem interested in him.

Whatever Tirus was up to, it must have required a lot of power. Twin shrieking was followed by a swift change in direction from the pair of monsters, and Alex grunted. In his rush to meet them earlier, he'd ended up further away from Tirus than he'd liked. Abandoning grace, he dived forward.

Catching one of the swooping bats in a bear-hug motion, he took it to ground, his superior weight pinning the creature to the floor. Pain blossomed in his left shoulder, ivory fangs piercing clean through his leather armor. Not good. A slam with his shield cracked open the monster's head, and Alex looked at Tirus.

He'd been too slow.

Wicked fangs pierced his friend's neck, the bat-monster drinking freely. Tirus didn't stop, though. He might be pale, and Alex couldn't imagine the sensation of having a stone-like neck, but the other man didn't need his neck to cast. Jumping to his feet, Alex rushed over to dislodge the feeding creature. Wrenching it from the other man's neck incited a shout of agony from Tirus, but Alex quickly finished off the creature.

Another bat slammed into Alex's back, pointed teeth stabbing into his shoulderblade. The disruption to his power at such a central location threw off every active imbuement he maintained. This was going bad, quick.

And then, Tirus evoked.

Although lacking the languid approach of the Sergeant, Tirus' display didn't disappoint. A thick, knotted web of flames appeared before Lyra. Too many holes to call it a wall, but close enough. The combustion drained oxygen from the small space, and Alex struggled to breath, but with a forceful gesture the net accelerated forward.

It caught the swarming monsters in their droves. Wherever the net passed, Mitovampyria burned, oily secretions lighting up like a blazing inferno on contact. With the majority of the Silvers handled, the remaining Bronzes couldn't stand up to the display. All had flocked into the confines of the tunnel, and with Tirus' blow, they died.

Alex grabbed hold of the bat trying to escape his back, and with a twist of his hands, snapped its neck.

Silence reigned in the tunnel as the web of fire dispersed.

"Fuck." Tirus gasped, dropping to the ground. His visage pale; bloodless. The monsters didn't drink blood, but plenty of the stuff seeped from the wound in his neck.

"Status check." Lyra said, limping over to the pair of them.

"Got me twice. Shoulder, back. I'm out for a while. Tirus is in a bad way." Alex replied.

"I'll be-" Tirus erupted into a coughing fit, breathing shallow and quick. "Damn. I don't know how I'll be. They got me."

"This is my fault. I'm so sorry, Tirus. If I hadn't moved..." Alex said.

"Enough." Lyra barked, limping steadily over to Tirus' prone form. "No time for it. We need to get deeper into this tunnel. Cut all power, now."

Alex didn't have much left to cut.

"We need to... I don't know, bandage him or something." Alex said, walking over to Tirus.

"I'm on it. Keep watch."

Lyra quickly retrieved the medical kit from her supplies, expertly binding the wound with a thick bandage. She swore as blood leaked through the white material.

"It'll hold, for now, but you'll need Alera. Soon. Damn it, if I hadn't gotten hit..." Lyra said.

"Like you said, not the time." Alex parroted back her own words, staring into the cavern. Collectively, they'd slain fifty of the swarming monsters, easily. "Let's move further into the tunnel. Hopefully they won't come this way."

"Right." Lyra said, looking down at Tirus. "I can't carry him. Not with this leg."

"I've got it."

Alex swung Tirus' limp arm around his shoulder.

If they didn't get to the Sergeant, and Alera, soon - Tirus would die.